***Official*** Bangladesh in NZ 2021-22

[Bahnz]

Ah yes, heaven forfend anyone pointing out that cricketers have a limited amount of time to polish their skills and that it’s more to NZ’s benefit for Southee to continue dedicating his efforts to averaging low-20’s with the ball (as he has done for the past 5 years) than it is to bother chasing a couple more runs an innings in order to be more like Nathan “averages 12 with the bat” Lyon.

 

[straw man]

Southee's batting has been cause for genuine criticism at times in the past and I don't think anyone here has shyed away from that. There's been the occasional innings where he's knuckled down but that's been the minority.

Though I also think he doesn't have anywhere near the batting ability some people thought after that debut test innings slogathon. Yeah he can bash flighted non-turning spin into the stands, but other than that he doesn't move his feet, doesn't pick up length very quickly, most of his shots are bottom-handed tennis forehands and he definitely cannot handle genuine pace. He could be better with the bat than he currently is, but I don't think he could be that much better.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I've said for many years that Southee is out of his depth at 9. Unless you're in the need for quick runs, in which case give him a whirl, Wagner at the very least should be ahead of him.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I've said for many years that Southee is out of his depth at 9. Unless you're in the need for quick runs, in which case give him a whirl, Wagner at the very least should be ahead of him.

In fact, I've posted so often about my chagrin that Southee continues to bat at 9, that really the above post is completely redundant. Except for looking to ensure that a false narrative about everyone being happy with Southee's batting doesn't develop. But the other thing is, he hasn't given a toss in the ~decade since his debut, he ain't gonna start giving a toss now.

 

[ashley bach]

Lyon making handy runs for his team again today. The improvement in his batting over the years has been a real credit to him. He’s got Australia to a total of over 300 today, and that might end up being vital in a low scoring game.

Contrast that with Southee who has gone backwards to the extent that he can’t even keep out rank full tosses and sets a pathetic example for the NZ lower order.

Now all I need is for some muppet who rates themselves as a cricket expert to totally miss the point and post ‘ooooeeerrrr.....Southee isn’t selected to score runs’.

He certainly isn't, his first test innings is a myth, have said this before that he should bat 10 or even 11.
much handier if he could bash 20 or so there when not many runs are expected.
coming in at 8 or 9 is bad because when it's Tim coming in, you know the fall of the next wicket isn't far away.

 

[Flem274*]

Once every so often Southee knuckles down with the bat and digs in for a partnership. He's pretty talented, but he's completely raw and he won't change. Compulsive hooking etc should have been trained out of him in his teens but I guess his bowling always took precedence, as it should.

He could have been a competent #8, but he can still be an ATVG bowler at the end of his career. The latter is far more valuable to the current NZ side.

 

[Xix2565]

Once every so often Southee knuckles down with the bat and digs in for a partnership. He's pretty talented, but he's completely raw and he won't change. Compulsive hooking etc should have been trained out of him in his teens but I guess his bowling always took precedence, as it should.

He could have been a competent #8, but he can still be an ATVG bowler at the end of his career. The latter is far more valuable to the current NZ side.

Does NZ really need a handy bat at #8 and lower? Feels a little unnecessary to me.

 

[ashley bach]

Once every so often Southee knuckles down with the bat and digs in for a partnership. He's pretty talented, but he's completely raw and he won't change. Compulsive hooking etc should have been trained out of him in his teens but I guess his bowling always took precedence, as it should.

He could have been a competent #8, but he can still be an ATVG bowler at the end of his career. The latter is far more valuable to the current NZ side.

coming in at 8 in test matches, you should more than every so often knuckle down, more like every single time.
it's actually a very important spot, last chance for a good partnership before the real tale start coming in.
anyone can knuckle down and build a partnership every so often, but with Tim it's too seldom.

 

[Howsie]

Southee, Boult and to a lesser degree Wagner just don’t like facing pace. Southee and Boult in particular never actually get in behind the ball. I’m surprised they haven’t copped more **** about it over the years especially from the opposition.

I remember Dale Steyn calling Wagner out last time we toured there for not getting in line and batting with Williamson who was cruising a long to a century at the time.

Someone like Lyon might not be a great lower order player but at least he has the guts to face up to the quicks if he has to…..

 

[thundaboult]

Southee, Boult and to a lesser degree Wagner just don’t like facing pace. Southee and Boult in particular never actually get in behind the ball. I’m surprised they haven’t copped more **** about it over the years especially from the opposition.

I remember Dale Steyn calling Wagner out last time we toured there for not getting in line and batting with Williamson who was cruising a long to a century at the time.

Someone like Lyon might not be a great lower order player but at least he has the guts to face up to the quicks if he has to…..

well this is true but i'll always remember southee making some handy runs in that wtc final, gave us a crucial 30 run lead when we were looking to get bowled out trailing by a few

 

[Immenso]

With the discussion sparked by the Lyon innings comparison. I actually thought Lyon's innings was very Southee-like actually. Just a successful one.

The 2 previous batsmen had been dismissed in quick succession by the short ball trap. Lyon comes in and hooks compulsively. But he connected. 3 hooked 6s in his innings of 30 odd.